Six letters, 1814-1817, of Lieutenant James MacAlpine, 8th King`s Royal Irish Hussars. Also included is an invitation from Sir Hudson and Lady Lowe to join them for dinner.

The letters were written to MacAlpine`s uncle, Robert Leny, a surgeon in Calcutta. MacAlpine had arrived in India as a Cornet, on HMS Sovereign. He fought in the Pindari and Nepal wars, but the letters do not relate to the Nepal campaign. Following his return from India, MacAlpine bought Patrick Miller`s Dalswinton Estate in Dumfriesshire.

MacAlpine writes about family and military life, including an attack on a fort whilst based at a camp near Meerut, India. One letter was written at the British camp at Hathras during the siege and attack of the Raja Dayaram`s fort, and he writes about troops, General Marshall, artillery, the enemy and the Congreve Rocket which was used here.